The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has decided to launch metro rail operations on Fridays soon, with an official announcement expected within a few days, possibly as early as Wednesday.
The plan, initially set for July, was delayed due to the violent quota reform protests and subsequent unrest, leading to a complete suspension of metro services for 37 days.
Since August 25, metro rail services have resumed, but Kazipara and Mirpur-10 stations remain closed due to damages caused by vandalism during the protests. Regular commuters from these stations have faced significant inconvenience, but there is good news on the horizon.
DMTCL has started preparations to reopen the Kazipara station within the next month, while plans are also underway to quickly restore services at Mirpur-10
The workforce roster for Friday operations is nearly finalized, and DMTCL is making swift progress.
The interim government, which recently canceled the contract of former DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique, has appointed Mohammad Abdur Rouf as the new Managing Director.
Upon taking charge, Rouf has prioritized reopening Kazipara station and commencing Friday metro services.
Following instructions from the interim government's road transport ministry, DMTCL has initiated a plan to operate the metro from Friday afternoons till night.
DMTCL is currently repairing the Kazipara station using locally sourced equipment and supplies to provide relief to passengers as soon as possible.
Despite earlier estimates that repairing the vandalized stations would take up to a year, DMTCL has devised strategies to expedite the process.
Equipment from less busy stations and upcoming stations in the Kamalapur extension project will be used to bring Kazipara and Mirpur-10 stations back online quickly.
Amid the quota reform protests, Kazipara and Mirpur-10 stations were attacked by vandals, leading to the suspension of metro services.
The previous government had estimated a year for the stations' repairs due to the need to reorder damaged equipment from suppliers. However, the current strategy aims to reopen the stations much sooner.
